National Republican., 1887-02-26
Past and Present Irishmen.

Two events have occurred during the
past week in very different parts of the
world which tend to increase the growing
impression that for good or evil wonder
ful change has come over "the spirit Of the
Irish dream"
On Tuesday night Justin Mccarthy lec-
tured before large audience in this city.
He spoke for an hour and half in q mono
tone, which was as far as possible removed
from the manner of conventional Irish elo
guence, and the matter of his address con-
tained no reference to drums, guns, harps,
sunbursts, or Moore's poetry. Yet the
speaker is essentially an Irishman, with the
keenest sympathy, as shown by his novels
and other writings, for all that is genuinely
patriotic, poetic, and romantic in the Irish
character.
Experience has brought him into close
-->t~~t ---iIl .Ls homogeneous "a Is.
political affairs, and he has thoroughly
learned the lesson, which he now teaches so
successfully to younger men, that practical
and permanent results are only to be at
tained by practical and rational metho is.
Lord Bacon used to write about the ''dry
light sicclm lumen, OF reason, and the
prevailing characteristic of Shakespeare's
genius is his almost perfect sanity. ''Let
us clear our minds Of can't said DR.. John
son, and ''let US get rid of all political IL
lusions," says Justin Mccarthy.
The analysis of political parties and
leaders in Great Britain was made as i'm
partially as If Mr.. Mccarthy viewed the
contest from another planet and had no
nerspnal intarast In tho rasult II vac aacy
to see that he had weighed all possibilities
calculated all forces, and that he and his
party knew exactly what they wanted, and
had devised practicable method by which
the desired end was to be attained with the
least friction.
Those who have heard or read the fervid
differences Of Irish orators are apt TO ex-
pcrience surprise, II not dsaI pointment,
at the calm, deliberate statement OF Mr.. Nc
Carthy's views. He refuses to grow angry
with enemies Of his cause, and scarcely
pauses to pay compliment to its friends.
The game is too serious. Anger and I'M
necessary compliment are only waste of
time and force. When the battle is won
there shall be some more cakes aud ale;
meantime agitation and powder of all sorts
kept dry.
This is one remarkable manifestation
OF the change which has come over men
and events since the home rule move
ment was inaugurated. The oratory OF
Grattan, Flood, and Plunkett is as far re-
moved from parliamentary methods Of to-
day as the shiftless peasant Of Charles
Levers novels is from an average member
nj tba / and NJ Ttjch ,,nIitioc 20
be regarded as an abstract science, worthy
the attention of gentlemen Of leisure, just
as metaphysics, Greek enclitics, the higher
mathematics, and profound conundrums
of various values formed part of
liberal education. The study OF Irish
politics is now a practical business which
has for its object not the higher education
OF any select class In eloquenee or parlia-
mentary skill, but the diffusion of means
for comfortable living among all the men,
bers of all classes of Irish society. And it
Is because Mr.. Parnell and Mr. Mccarthy
are the embodiment Of forces making d!-
rectly for this end that their movements
are regarded with interest and admiration
by the political experts of the United States
and every other civilized country.
The other event to which we have re-
ferred is the verdict rendered in Dublin, on
Thursday, in the "plan Of campaign" trial
OF Messrs, Dillon, O'Brien, and Redmond.
Those members of parliament formed them
selves into committee TO receive from
Irish tenants such reduced rents as the land
lords Of those tenants had refused to ac-
cept. The principle involved is, of course,
that involability of contract JetWeen free
contracting parties which forms the very
basis Of all modern civilization. If ten
ants, free to act, contract to pay certain
rent, according to certain fixed legal formu.
las, every just Judge is bound to enforce
the contract or punish its violation.
The plan of campaign was a protest from
Irish tenants against contracts Into which
they had entered not as free agents. Agri-
culture is the only industry In Ireland,
and men are compelled to take farms or
starve. Competition puts up rent beyond
value Of what such farms can produce, so
that tenants cannot pay such rents and
make living profit. BY the verdict of a
Dublin jury the accused men have been ac.
quilted on technicallty, but 1t shows the
marvellous change that has come over pub.
lie sentiment when 1t has to be acknowl-
edged that Irish tenants are so badly stu.